“A dozen cupcakes coming right up!”
The pink party pony, Pinkie Pie shouted with glee as she hopped away from the counter and to the kitchen as banging and chime noises were heard. The pony she was serving was a dark unicorn mare with a short blue mane and a feather cutie mark. She gently tapped her hoof on the counter, trying to avert any gaze with any other ponies as the loud banging continued in the kitchen. That noise was certainly not her and she wouldn’t want to be blamed for it either. Why was she looking so hard for already prepared cupcakes?
“Whew, I hid that batch of cupcakes good!” Pinkie said as she exited the kitchen, brushing a random egg out of her pink fluffy mane and setting the box of cupcakes on to the counter in front of the mare. “Here you go! You’re Flusk Flurry, right?”
“Sure am..” Flusk said, slightly inspecting the cupcakes herself to make sure the pony didn’t put any surprises in them. “Also, did you say you hide..Cupcakes?..In..A ‘sweet’ shop?”
“Yup! I have to or else the cake twins will get them! They are the owner's children. I foalsit them whenever they’re busy.”
“Hmm..Well, whatever works I suppose.”
The unicorn mare's horn glowed as she levitated the box of cupcakes off the counter after inspecting them a little. They seemed safe enough to take home. She trotted out of the line of waiting ponies as another mare was greeted by the excited pink pony. Flusk made her way to the door which she knew would eventually be crowded by ponies waiting if she didn't leave now. Nopony could resist Sugar Cube Corner, even if they were on a diet. She was just a few steps from the door when she recognized something out of the corner of her eye..A flowing blue starry mane..Wait. Was that..The Princess of..Night? Princess Celestia's sister? Here?
She stopped and glanced to her right to see in fact, Princess Luna seated at a table with a cupcake in front of her. She didn't look particularly happy..In fact..Rather sad. Her hooves were rested in front of her on the table as she rested her head on them, staring at that swirly, sugary dessert sprinkled with many tiny little stars. The cupcake looked like it was custom made just for her. However, she wasn't very happy with it. Perhaps she wasn't happy with something else.
Flusk suddenly felt an urge that she should talk to the princess. No..She didn't want to bother her. Besides, who would want a simple civilian pestering them? She clearly wanted to be alone in that moment.
She turned her attention back to the sunny day outside. She was only a few more steps away from leaving and going home with her cupcakes..
"Um..Y-Your highness?"
The princess lifted her head as she looked around before looking to her left to see Flusk standing to her side. The mare put a smile on her face as she tried to seem as friendly as she could towards the night princess. She was about to speak to royalty after all.
"I..I don't mean to interrupt you. I can leave if that's what you truly des-"
"No please," Luna raised her hoof to stop Flusk. "Do stay. What is it I can help you with?"
Flusk looked taken aback but accepted Luna's request for her to stay. She looked over to the nearby chair across from Luna as she awkwardly sat down at it, placing her box of cupcakes on the table, purposely far away from Luna's cupcake.
"Well..Its not that I want your help. I rather want to help you." Flusk replied, looking a little nervous. Was that rude?..She couldn't tell.
"Help me? With what exactly?"
"Well, I couldn't help but notice that you look a little down..P-Princess. I was..Wondering if maybe I could help you? You know..Feel better?" Flusk smiled sheepishly.
"Oh.."
Flusk's sheepish smile turned into a look of worry. Did she do something wrong?! The princess only stared down at the table frowning once again.
"I appreciate your concern but..No."
The princess looked away, a shaky exhale escaping out of her. It seemed like this wasn't the first time she had shut the doors on anypony trying to help her. Perhaps it was the past she suffered from where she was left in the dark and her sister showed no care for the younger one. Flusk had learned about what happened later in more depth once the writers of the Equestrian history books got more information than a 'scary pony' who just wanted to have endless night. Maybe she was..Afraid to open up to others in fear she might be shunned out again by others. Well, she certainly wouldn't be getting anything out of her by pestering her about it.
"Um..Here."
The princess looked again to the table to see a vanilla cupcake with pink frosting beside her original cupcake.
"I..I know you already had a cupcake but..I wanted to be nice." Flusk smiled shyly.
Luna's eyes darted to both cupcakes for a moment when suddenly she started laughing, slamming her hoof on the table. It scared Flusk a little as she looked at her confused and then to the many eyes now watching their table curiously. Flusk then looked back to Luna and snorted a little, trying not to laugh but clearly failing.
"Y-You..I-I had a cupcake already and..You..You gave me another one?!" Luna laughed loudly.
"I know, I know, it's dumb!"
Flusk couldn't quite understand why Luna was laughing and why she was laughing along with her even though she had no idea why they were laughing. Still, she made the princess laugh. That was a big accomplishment for her even if it was a small little act. It wasn't long before Luna came out of her laughing fit and she gasped for air, wiping a tear out of her eye. It sure was funny to her.
"Ahh..I haven't laughed that hard in ages." Luna sighed, giving a small last giggle.
"Well, I'm glad I made you laugh at least."
"Here," Luna pushed the cupcake back to Flusk. "Take it back. I don't have much of an appetite anyway. I think I'll just box mine up and be on my way."
“Oh alright, if you’re sure.”
Flusk levitated the pink frosted cupcake back into the box of the other ones and shut it. She softly levitated the box of cupcakes by her side as she stood up, watching the princess get up to her hooves as well.
“Perhaps we’ll meet again...Your name?” Luna asked.
“Oh! Flusk Flurry. Flusk is just fine though.” Flusk grinned.
“Flusk..What a unique name. That one definitely won’t slip my mind.” Luna began towards the exit and then turned around, giving Flusk one last glance. “Have a nice evening, Flusk.”
The princess walked past a few ponies who immediately made way for the princess upon looking up and only seeing a glance of her blue starry mane. A few of them bowed in respect of her and others gave a simple nod before returning back to their place in line. Flusk found herself galloping outside to catch up with her and give her a goodbye before she left but when she looked up she only saw a small sliver of her tail disappear into a glowing white portal which disappeared as well.
Flusk sighed and lowered her head, staring at the ground defeated. She never got to say what she wanted to say without the other leaving first.
"Wow, you actually talked to her?"
Flusk's ears perked up and looked behind her to see the same pink pony who served her cupcakes standing there at the entrance of Sugar Cube Corner. She wore an idle smile on her face along with a cute colorful apron Flusk never saw her wearing before up until now. Wait..If she was tending to the orders of the ponies in line, what was she doing out here and who was taking over her job? Flusk looked past her to see a particularly flustered young stallion dealing with the line. He didn't look like he knew what he was doing and probably just started working there. She felt a bit bad for the stallion as she turned her attention back to the pink one.
"Talking to who?" Flusk asked.
"Princess Luna! I saw you and her sitting together having a nice chat. You deserve a pat on the back for that honestly."
And with that, the pony trotted over and patted Flusk on the back softly before taking a few steps back to her original place.
"W-What? Why? She looked upset and I only wanted to see what was wrong." Flusk replied.
"Exactly! It's hard to start a conversation with her, trust me. I planned a birthday party for her a while back and all she did was take a slice of cake, a few snacks, and refused the birthday gifts that were offered to her! Birthday gifts!" Pinkie repeated. "Who would want to refuse free gifts from your friends and family that they spent on you alone? Even her sister got her something special and she said she wasn't in the mood. What kind of pony says that?"
"Maybe she just isn't doing so well right now. You never know."
"Yeah, but this was months ago. I was relieved to see her come to Sugar Cube Corner this evening but she still seems the same as ever. She only gave me her order and seated herself. I gave her the cupcake, yada, yada, yada, and nothing! Just some bits and a blank stare. If she wasn't doing so well, I'm sure she would have got over it a loooonnng time ago."
"Getting over things doesn't work that way!" Flusk said, getting a little annoyed.
Pinkie shrugged and then began to make her way back to Sugar Cube Corner. "Well, I hope you make her smile!"
"I hope you make her smile!"
That resonated with Flusk more than it should have.